Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale offered Premier League lifeline after Mikel Arteta snub

Wolves are reportedly plotting a January move for Aaron Ramsdale after the goalkeeper lost his starting place under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.

Ramsdale has slipped behind David Raya in the pecking order at Arsenal, with the Brentford loanee preferred by Arteta. The England international was given a rare start in the Premier League against Brentford on Saturday night and although he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win, he put in a nervy performance.

Arteta then did not name-check Ramsdale when asked about the returning goalkeeper in his post-match interview with TNT Sports. It summed up his standing in the Arsenal squad and has encouraged Wolves to try their luck in the January transfer window, according to the Daily Star.

Wolves have received lots of interest from Saudi Arabian sides over goalkeeper Jose Sa and have identified Ramsdale as their first-choice replacement. Manager Gary O’Neil is willing to sell Sa, if his £35million price tag is met, and would like to sign Ramsdale as a replacement on loan with an obligation to buy.

Ramsdale is fighting for his place against Raya, amid Arteta’s assertion that he doesn’t have a No1 goalkeeper. But the lure of regular first-team football could prove tempting for the 25-year-old, who also wants to challenge Jordan Pickford in the England side.

Rio Ferdinand has sympathy for Ramsdale, who he thinks is a victim of Arteta’s unclear thinking. “I think you look at Ramsdale, he's been left in limbo because the manager hasn't come out and said who his number one and number two definitively are,” he said on TNT Sports.

"It's a bit like Joe Hart for City, Pep Guardiola comes in and tells him he's not the No.1 anymore. Yes, that puts Joe's nose out of joint for a while but at least he knows where he stands. It's a difficult place to be for Ramsdale.”

Arteta did speak about Ramsdale in his post-match press conference following the Brentford win. “He has big courage and [a] big personality and that’s why we love him,” he said when asked about the stick Ramsdale was receiving from the home fans.

Arteta said in August that there are “no number ones” in his squad after signing Raya on loan to compete with Ramsdale. He said: “When you have to be at 100 per cent every day, believe me, your level increases. We have two great goalkeepers, just like we have two great left wingers, two great holding midfielders, two great strikers. There is no number one, not in any position.”

That approach will now be tested, with Raya able to return to the starting XI when Arsenal face Lens in the Europa League on Thursday ahead of a Premier League game against Wolves – the side who are interested in Ramsdale.